


Free of Pain

by through_shadows_falling



Series: MCU Ficlets [7]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Bucky Barnes Feels, Could also be read as the start of Sam/Bucky, Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, POV Sam Wilson, Past Torture, Protective Sam Wilson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 00:24:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11324823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/through_shadows_falling/pseuds/through_shadows_falling
Summary: Sam paced in a round, earthen room with no windows. He was dirty, hot, and still bleeding from various scrapes, but the upside to his situation, or maybe the downside, was that he wasn’t alone. The Winter Soldier—aka Bucky Barnes—had been captured with him. He had been unconscious for a while, but perhaps when he woke, they could use the insane strength of his metal arm to break them out. If not...Sam didn't know how they'd make it out.





	Free of Pain

Sam should’ve known this mission was fucked from the start.

These Hydra bastards were craftier than most, and despite the Avengers’ plan—which, admittedly, had been cobbled together last-minute due to the urgency of the situation—they’d jumped into the fray practically blind. The result?

Sam now paced in a round, earthen room with no windows, though dim, dusty light filtered in through several cracks in the ceiling. He was dirty, hot, and still bleeding from various scrapes, and his head throbbed with heat where his skull had smacked into concrete.

The upside to his situation, or maybe the downside, was that he wasn’t alone. The Winter Soldier—aka Bucky Barnes—had been captured with him, although the guy had been tranquilized with over a dozen darts before he finally went down. He had been unconscious for a while, and every few minutes, Sam double-checked that he was still breathing. Perhaps when he woke, they could use the insane strength of his metal arm to break them out.

Although that was wishful thinking. Sam may not have been completely with it when they dragged him down here, but he recalled the Hydra goons grunting as they hauled open several sets of hydraulic doors. Even Bucky’s abilities as the Soldier might not be enough.

Which was also fucked up, because Sam had heard what the men threatened, right after they tossed him and Bucky into this shithole. They wanted information, and they would get it through any means possible. What kind of information they wanted was a mystery, but their tone of voice had sent shivers down Sam’s back.

In all his years of service, he’d never been tortured. Sure, he’d undergone the same training as everybody else for what to do in these kind of circumstances, but faking it wasn’t the same as _living it_. Sam was no stranger to pain, but he had never had to test his limits before.

Heh. Maybe he should’ve bowed out when Steve gave him the chance.

Or not. What would poor Cap do without him as a literal and figurative wingman?

Sam cursed as he recalled the state of his suit after they’d shot him down. Damn. He hoped Tony could repair it soon, or better yet, build an upgraded model. Maybe even another set of wings to allow for faster turns…

A groan startled Sam out of his thoughts. His eyes had adjusted to the lighting, so he could make out Bucky sitting up. Sam made no move to approach him, though, unsure what his reaction would be. Instead, he offered a gentle, “Hey, man. Welcome back.”

Bucky’s body was stiff, and his gaze immediately darted to Sam at the sound of his voice. He appeared to recognize him, for his shoulders loosened slightly.

“Hey,” he said in a hoarse voice.

“So I guess the tranqs finally wore off. Don’t know how long it’s been since we’ve been down here. Hours, maybe?”

Bucky took a whiff as he glanced around. “A cellar? Smells like dirt. Old. Wet.”

 “Damn. They train you to be a Bloodhound?”

Bucky smirked. “No. Just to use my five senses to observe things.”

“Ah.”

“What else do you know? Did they say anything?”

So Sam relayed to Bucky a few more details, plus what he’d been told. Bucky absorbed Sam’s words with a contemplative expression, then nodded.

“We’ll convince them to just take one of us, then. When we do, I’ll go.”

Sam blinked. “Excuse me?”

Bucky leveled him with a glance. “I’ll take the torture. See where they bring me, gather intel, and report back.”

“You’ll _take_ the torture? No way.”

“They’re going to take us both, then. It’s smarter for one of us to stay behind.”

“But…but they might tranq you again!”

Bucky’s smirk was cold, dark. “Or I can pretend the previous ones haven’t worn off. I’m quite good at acting.” He started to slump and act delirious, but Sam interrupted.

“No, don’t start that shit. I believe you, okay? I just.” Sam sat down heavily, his knees drawn to his chest. The room spun, and he heaved in musty air. He hated that part of him was glad Bucky had volunteered, but damn.

Sam inhaled, then exhaled a long breath. “No, I’ll do it. You’ve been through enough.” Bucky had been through at least five times worse than most POWs. For God’s sake, he’d only just recovered himself in the last year. The least Sam could do was give the guy a break.

“Have you ever been tortured before?” Bucky said, matter-of-fact. He mirrored Sam’s posture across from him.

Sam hesitated. “Well. No.”

Bucky waved his flesh hand as if to say, _My point is made._

Sam scowled. “You don’t deserve to get tortured if I can do something about it.”

“My hero.” Bucky’s words were caustic, but he softened. “Sorry. But you know I’m right. And it’s fine, really. Since the first time, I’ve never really thought I’d escape it.”

“Escape what?”

Bucky shrugged, his gaze faraway. “Pain.”

Well, if that wasn’t the most tragic thing Sam had ever heard. He swallowed a lump in his throat, then coughed to clear it. “So, assuming he’s not stuck somewhere else…how many bricks do you think Steve has shit worrying about us?”

The spark returned to Bucky’s eyes, and he chuckled. “At least four, maybe five.”

“How many for me and how many for you?”

Bucky scoffed. “You? They’re all for me. _I’m_ the friend he’s known since the 30’s. You just met him like, what, yesterday by comparison?”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re an asshole?”

“Oh, all the time.”

Sam finally cracked up at that. Sometimes it was hard to pin down the man behind the Soldier, but whenever Sam caught a glimpse, he couldn’t help but like him.

Silence descended. The atmosphere remained tense, as Hydra could appear at any moment. It helped that Bucky radiated calm, despite their conditions. He began talking, then, and Sam wondered if it was another coping mechanism to remind himself that he was free of Hydra’s control—relatively speaking. He spoke of Steve, mostly, revealing to Sam his most harebrained schemes. Sam laughed at the right parts, all the while hoping against hope that the other Avengers would find them and free them before Bucky had to get hurt yet again.

And hey, maybe there _was_ a big man upstairs listening, because the next time the doors heaved open, Steve’s familiar face squinted at them from the other side.

Sam let himself be steered out of the Hydra base, and then situated into the Med Bay of the Quinjet. He cleaned off the blood from his head wound, took some painkillers, and glanced over at where Steve was administering to Bucky on the hospital bed opposite his. Once, he might’ve felt jealous at their casual interactions, but now…

Now he understood Steve’s protectiveness over his friend.

And he vowed that, if it was in his power, Bucky would be safe and free of pain for the rest of his life.


End file.
